Officer Stacey Wilbur of Smell of Death

Stacey: I am a widow with a four-year-old son. We live with my parents in their home in Rocky Bluff, California. I’m a police officer with the Rocky Bluff P.D.

Q. What’s Rocky Bluff like?

Stacey: It’s a small beach community south of Santa Barbara–a wonderful place to raise a child. At least it used to be.

Q. What do you mean by that?

Stacey: We’ve had a rash of crimes lately from home invasions to murders. The worst is a missing toddler. Having a child myself, my heart goes out to the family.

Q. I understand you were the first on the scene of two murders. Tell us what that was like.

Stacey: The taking of someone’s life is always horrible. I was called to investigate strange sounds coming from someone’s house. When I went inside, I discovered the body of a young mother. Thankfully, her two children were unharmed.

I was next called to an apartment house where I found another murder victim. Ironically, this person was the mother of the first victim.

One thing you don’t experience when watching TV or at the movies, is the smell at a murder scene. Once you’ve experienced it, you’ll never forget it. It’s overwhelming and something you take away with you along with the visual experience.

Q. Were you able to be in on the investigation of these murders?

Stacey: Rocky Bluff P.D. is a small department. We only have one detective, Doug Milligan, who works on many cases. Everyone on the department helps with cases like this. Because I was first on the scene of both the murders, Detective Milligan has asked me to assist him.